Function: convey blood rich in oxygen (except pulmonary arteries) from the heart to the organ capillaries.
Function: maintain continuous flow of blood away from the heart.
Location: aorta, pulmonary arteries
Composition: endothelial lining with basement membrane, subendothelial layer of connective tissue, internal elastic membrane.
Composition: elastic fenestrated sheets or lamellae between the smooth muscle layers, collagen fibers, ground substance.
Composition: collagen and elastic fibers, fibroblasts and macrophages, blood vessels (vasa vasorum), nerves (nervi vascularis).
Function: assist in maintaining blood pressure.
Location: most of the "named" arteries of the body.
Composition: endothelial lining with basement membrane, sparse subendothelial layer of connective tissue, smooth muscle cells, prominent internal elastic membrane.
Composition: smooth muscle cells amid collagen fibers, relatively little elastic material, ground substance, external elastic membrane material.
Composition: collagen and elastic fibers, macrophages and adipose cells, blood vessels (vasa vasorum), nerves (nervi vascularis).
Function: control blood flow to capillary networks
Composition: endothelial lining with basement membrane, sparse subendothelial layer of connective tissue, smooth muscle cells, internal elastic membrane or not.
Composition: 1 - 10 smooth muscle cells layers amid collagen fibers or not, ground substance.
Composition: thin sheath of connective tissue.